Top 10 Heaviest Concrete Structures in the World

How Much Does Your Concrete Structure Weigh?

Bill Gates can now add to the list of his many accomplishments the title of architecture critic, having recently written a piece for the online publisher Quartz. Called “Have you hugged a concrete pillar today?” the review is based upon “Making the Modern World: Materials and De-materialisation,” by his favourite author, historian Vaclav Smil.

Smil’s book details how we use the most basic materials to build and fuel our civilizations, and raises questions about how we will continue to consume in the future. It includes a host of beautiful illustrations that clearly and succinctly hammer home points.

In his intro, Gates mentions that his car contains “around 2,600 pounds of steel, 800 pounds of plastic, and 400 pounds of light metal alloys.” These numbers break down the seemingly frivolous nature of objects into the real environmental impact they create.

One of the main materials discussed in the book is concrete. China used more concrete in the last three years than the United States used in the last 100; a staggering statistic, considering the rate of urbanization that it implies. In pursuit of understanding concrete better, we found some examples and gave them the same treatment. How many pounds does the concrete in your building weigh?